It’s God’s desire that every one of us is saved. God is loving and does not
desire to see anyone perish (2 Peter 3:8-10). Jesus came for all people,
irrespective of race, tribe, or culture. Salvation is meant for anyone who
will come to Jesus. Anyone who
confesses their sins and puts their trust in Jesus to save them from sin
and death shall receive forgiveness (Romans 10:9).
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In Matthew 18:10-14, Jesus was sharing a parable about lost sheep. He said
if one sheep is lost among ninety-nine, the shepherd (who represents God)
cares about that one sheep—that one person who is lost in sin. God won’t
say, “Oh, I already have ninety-nine people who are righteous. I don’t need
to seek after the one.” No, as Jesus’s parable says, God will go search for
the lost one till He finds it. In Luke 15, Jesus went even further to say
that “there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (verse
7). This tells us the extent of God’s love for each one of us.
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If God hasn’t given up on any one of us, then we also shouldn’t give up on
anyone. As Christians, we shouldn’t look at those who don’t know Jesus as
beyond restoration. We shouldn’t give up on them, no matter their level of
sin, because God can still bring them back to Himself. Instead, we have the
opportunity to share the good news of Jesus’s love shown through His death
and resurrection.
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No sin is beyond Jesus’s forgiveness, and in fact, our sin is the reason
why He came to live among us, die, and rise again. When religious leaders
accused Jesus of mingling with the sinners of His day, Jesus emphatically
told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have
not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32).
Indeed, Jesus is the Great Physician, who brings the only healing from sin
and its effects.
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Therefore, it’s necessary we extend our hands in love to all unbelievers we
come into contact with, showing them the same love God showed us—for no
sinner is beyond God’s love and saving grace. • Shadrach Goni
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• If you know Jesus, who were the people who introduced you to Him? What do
you remember about the love they showed you?
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• If you want to learn more about what it means to know Jesus, check out
our “Know Jesus” page.
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And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:21
(NIV)
Read Verses:
Matt.18.10-Matt.18.14|Luke.15.1-Luke.15.7|Acts.2.21
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